We blog about career trends, the future job market, and higher education in Minnesota.

Month: May 2013

This Memorial Day week, it’s important to remember the many Minnesota veterans who have bravely and proudly served this county. Networking and career events can help veterans in career transition get back to work.

This Memorial Day week, it’s important to remember the many Minnesota veterans who have bravely and proudly served this county. For veterans in career transition or still transitioning to civilian life, there is help to get you back to work.

Recent reports on college graduates’ prospects in the job market are grim. Unemployment and underemployment of graduates rose during the Great Recession and continue to remain high. In 2012, Minnesota teens and young adults had the highest unemployment rates at 18.6 percent for teens (age 16 to 19) and 7.7 percent for young adults (age 20 to 24) according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics analysis (pdf).

Does it feel like more companies are laying off large numbers of workers? With news stories announcing staff layoffs and cut backs, it might seem like it. What do the data on mass layoffs tell up about trends in Minnesota?

Often when I facilitate workshops at the St. Paul WorkForce Center, I’ll introduce myself as a “professional job seeker,” because I’ve changed jobs many times over the years between layoffs and planned moves. All of this practical experience keeps me current in sharing with job seekers what works in getting a job. In this post I want to discuss the two most important concepts I’ve learned: how to network and how to target a job search.

For some teens, finding a job is incredibly important to their current and future financial well-being. Many teen jobseekers are former high school students who have just completed their education and are entering the workforce for the first time as adults. For them especially, the costs of not being able to find a good job can be astronomical.

In recent years, young Minnesotans looking for summer jobs have faced significant challenges. Today, the economies of both Minnesota and the United States are slowly recovering, and labor markets are improving along with them. Minnesota’s overall unemployment rate has been declining, and we have nearly matched our pre-recession job total. Some of these improvements will benefit teen job seekers.

Do you work with adults thinking about going back to college? Or know someone who’s looking for additional training so they can move into a better career? Deciding on the right education and career path can be difficult for anyone. A new website – called MN Career Pathways – is here to help!